Feeding device



17, 1965 T. A. BURNS ETAL 3,200,929

FEEDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS THAGRUS A.BURNS BY WILLIAM H.PHEND A FOE/V57 Aug. 17, 1 T. A. BURNS ETAL FEEDINGDEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed Aug. 9, 1961 INVENTORS M D R W H ww N .R Ann/0 S w mm A G I M H lW United States Patent s,20e,929 FEEDING DEVICE Thagrus A. Burns, 2216Butler Road, Fort Wayne, Ind., and William H. Phend, Larwill, 1nd. FiledAug. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 130,304 3 Claims. (Cl. 197-130) This inventionrelates to a novel feeding device for a machine, and more particularlyto a novel feeding device adapted to continuously feed paper such asenvelopes, tabulating cards or sheets into a typewriter.

Such feeding devices have heretofore been designed as illustrated by thepatent to Cross 2,887,208 and the pa-. tent to Armanni 2,011,991. To thebest of the inventors knowledge, such devices have not been commerciallypromoted, primarily for the reason that they have not been economical toproduce and they are diflicult to adjust to the machine to functionproperly.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel feeding deviceto continuously feed envelopes into a typewriter. The feeding device canbe utilized to feed tabulating cards, blank paper and forms to thetypewriter.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustment means on thefeed platform to vary the width thereof to correspond to the width ofthe material being fed to the typewriter.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel mounting means formounting the device on a typewriter,

and more particularly the mounting means is adapted to adjust thefeeding platform so that the feeding edge is parallel to the platen rolland can be adjusted perpendicular to the platen roll to vary the feedopening to the typewriter. In utilizing the three adjustments on themounting means, the feeding platform can be positioned to accuratelyfeed the material to the typewriter.

Still another object of this invention is to provide friction means onthe feeding platform which functions to stabilize and spread thematerial so that the endless drive belt can convey the material to themachine.

An important object of the invention is to provide elastic or flexibleendless belts adapted to be driven directly and automatically by therotation of the platen roll to convey the material to the typewritermachine.

Other objects and features will in part be obvious and in part pointedout as the description of the invention proceeds as shown in theaccompanying drawings wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodimentof my invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the feeding device attached to atypewriter machine;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed cross sectional view taken along the line 2--2 inFIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the back of the device illustratingthe three adjustments for positioning the feeding platform with respectto the machine.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 11 designatesthe continuous feeding device adapted to be connected to the rearmachine closure 13 of a typewriter 15. This feeding device may bemounted on an electric or manual typewriter having a carriage 16, aplaten roll 17 and a platen nob 19. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, amounting bracket or support 21 is formed with an upturned flange 23adapted to be positioned under the closure member 13. The front portionof the bracket is provided with a downwardly turned flange 25 which isadapted to be positioned over the front edge of the closure member 13.

The numeral 27 designates an elongated frame member having a hinge 28connected thereto by means of screws or rivets 29. The hinge is pivotedwith respect to the mounting bracket 21 by a pin or rivet 31. The other3.2%,929 Patented Aug. 17, 1965 end of the hinge is provided with a slot33 for receiving a bolt 35 having a wing nut 37. The slot 33 in thehinge permits the frame member to be horizontally adjusted to asubstantially parallel position with respect to the platen roll 17. Apair of arms 3% and 49 are mounted on the frame member 27 by pins 41. Apair of elongated threaded bolts 43 and 45 are connected to the mountingbracket 21. An elongated slot 47 is provided in arm 39 for receiving thebolt .43 to permit the frame: 27 and hinge 28 to be adjusted aspreviously described. The arm 40 is provided with a conventional opening49 to receive the bolt 45. A pair of springs 51 are disposed between thearms 39 and 4t} and the mounting bracket 21 which function to urge thearms upwardly to rotate or tilt the frame member 27. Wing nuts 53 serveto adjust the arms 39 and 40 to tilt the frame member 27 with respect tothe platen roll.

turned end members 57 and 59 which are provided with slots 61 and 63 forreceiving a rotatable shaft 65. The

rotatable shaft is provided with a series of circumferential grooves orrecesses 67 for receiving an elastic or flexible endless belt 69. Itshould be noted that the flexible belt is positioned to contact thefeeding edge '71 of the feed platform 55. The platen roll 17 serves as adrive means for rotating the flexible belt 69. The grooves or recesses67 on the shaft 65 serve to position the belts 6? with respect to thefeed platform 55 and prevent them from traveling axially along theshaft.

Adjustable means 73 in the form of an L-shaped member 75 having anelongated slot 77 is mounted on one edge of the feed platform 55. Themmeber is secured to the platform by a bolt 79 and fastener 81. Themember '75 can be moved axially with respect to the feed platform 55 tovary the width of the feed platform to correspond with the width of thematerial being fed to the typewriter. A member 83 having the samethickness as 75 is mounted on the platform 55. For purposes of thisinvention, the members 83 and '75, along with the platform 55, are considered the feed platform or work area for the material-to betransferred to the machine. A knurled surface is provided at 85 toprovide frictional means for the material passing to the typewritermachine. For example, when a stack of envelopes are placed on thesupport platform, the frictional means has a tendency to evenly spreadthe envelopes on the platform. The friction means also prements jammingof the envelopes between the shaft 65 and support of feed platform 55. v

The support platform is adjustably mounted on the frame 27 by means ofelongated threaded screws 87 and 89. The screws pass between two supportmembers 91 and 93 which are fastened to the platform by rivets 95. Thescrews 87 and 89 are adapted to fit into threaded openings 97 and 99. Apair of springs 191 and 103 ar disposed between the support members 91,93 and the frame 27 to urge the supports upwardly. The screws 87 and 89serve to adjust the feed platform 55 so that the feed edge 71 isperpendicular with respect to the platen roll 17.

In operation of the device, the bracket 21 is placed on the closuremember 13, and the hinge 28 is adjusted by the bolt 35 and nut 37 untilthe leading edge 71 is parallel with the platen roll 17. The screws 87and 89 are then adjusted until the leading edge is perpendicular withrespect to the platen roll 17. Then the arms .38 and 39 are tilted byadjusting the wing nuts 43 and 45 until the desired clearance openingbetween the leading edge 71 and the platen roll 17 is accomplished. Thisclearance opena ing is usually determined by the thickness of thematerial desired to be fed to the typewriter. The material 111 to be fedto the typewriter is then placed on the feed platform 55, and the firstunit is placed in contact with this belt 69. Thereafter, the units arefed continuously to the typewriter. It should be noted that in actualpractice if one unit is slightly off center on the support platform 55,the first edge reaching the leading edge 71 will not pass to thetypewriter until the other edge is in contact with the leading edge 71and belt 69. The unit will not pass the leading edge 71 unless bothedges are in contact with the leading edge for the reason that thefriction of the endless belt, which moves the unit, is not sufficientlypowerful to move the unit past the edge. For example, if the unit isslightly cocked, or off center, as soon as one edge of the unit reachesthe leading edge 71 it will momentarily hold until the other edge of theunit comes into contact with the leading edge so that the frictionalforce of both endless belts will pass the unit to the platen. In otherWords, both edges of the material have to be in contact with the leadingedge '71 and belt 69 before it will be fed to the typewriter.

It should be understood that various modifications and changes in thestructural details of the device may be made, within the scope of theappended claims, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 We claim:

1. A feeding device for conveying paper to a machine comprising, incombination, a mounting bracket adapted to be disposed on the machine,frame means including a pivotal member connected to the bracket, a firstadjustment means connected to the bracket and frame means for tiltingthe frame means with respect to the machine, a platform having a flangeportion turned upwardly at each end, a second adjustment means formounting the platform on the frame means and for positioning one edge ofthe platform perpendicular with the machine, a third adjustment meansassociated with the platform for varying the Width of the feeding deviceto correspond with the width of the paper passing therethrough, frictionmeans disposed on the platform to spread units of paper as it passestherethrough, a rotatable shaft mounted on the flange portions of theplatform, and a pair of flexible endless belts mounted on the shaft inspaced parallel relationship to each other and adapted to be driven bythe machine to feed paper thereto.

2. A feeding device for conveying work to a machine comprising, incombination, a feeding platform having a the width of the platform tocorrespond to the width of the work, a pair of flexible endless beltsencircling the shaft, said belts adapted to be driven by the machine andpositioned with respect to the platform to frictionally move the workthereon, a frame member having an elongated hinge mounted along oneside, a mounting bracket, said hinge pivotally mounted on the bracket, apair of arms connected to the frame and adapted to be adjusted withrespect to the mounting bracket to tilt the frame to the desiredposition, and adjustment means for mounting the feeding platform on theframe member, said adjustment means adapted to move the feeding platformto or from p the machine to control the size of the opening between theside member at each end for supporting a rotatable shaft,

a slidable member mounted on the platform for varying feeding edge ofthe platform and the machine.

3. A feeding device for a typewriter comprising, in combination, amounting bracket adapted for connection with a typewriter having aplaten roll, a feeding platform for conveying paper work to thetypewriter, a frame member first adjustment means for supporting thefeeding platform on the frame member and adapted to position the feedingedge of platform substantially perpendicular with respect to the platenroll of the typewriter, a second adjustment means for supporting theframe member on the mounting bracket and adapted to move the feedingedge substantially parallel with the platen roll of the typewriter, apair of adjustable arms mounted on the frame member and connected to themounting bracket to tilt the platform to control the opening between thefeeding edge of the platform and the platen roll, said feeding platformhaving end members for supporting a rotatable shaft, a pair of endlessflexible belts encircling the shaft and platen roll, said belts adaptedto convey the work from the platform to the typewriter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 689,423 12/01Schmitt 197-130 987,097 3/11 McArdle 197130 X 1,171,354 2/16 Roberts197-130X 1,718,467 6/29 Labarre 197-430 FOREIGN PATENTS 348,541 5/31Great Britain.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

1. A FEEDING DEVICE FOR CONVEYING PAPER TO A MACHINE COMPRISING, INCOMBINATION, A MOUNTING BRACKET ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED ON THE MACHINE,FRAME MEANS INCLUDING A PIVOTAL MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE BRACKET, A FIRSTADJUSTMENT MEANS CONNECTED TO THE BRACKET AND FRAME MEANS FOR TILTINGTHE FRAME MEANS WITH RESPECT TO THE MACHINE, A PLATFORM HAVING A FLANGEPORTION TURNED UPWARDLY AT EACH END, A SECOND ADJUSTMENT MEANS FORMOUNTING THE PLATFORM ON THE FRAME MEANS AND FOR POSITIONING ONE EDGE OFTHE PLATFORM PERPENDICULAR WITH THE MACHINE, A THIRD ADJUSTMENT MEANSASSOCIATED WITH THE PLATFORM FOR VARYING THE WIDTH OF THE FEEDING DEVICETO CORRESPOND WITH THE WIDTH OF THE PAPER PASSING THERETHROUGH, FRICTIONMEANS DISPOSED ON THE PLATFORM TO SPREAD UNITS OF PAPER AS IT PASSESTHERETHROUGH, A ROTATABLE SHAFT MOUNTED ON THE FLANGE PORTIONS OF THEPLATFORM, AND A PAIR OF FLEXIBLE ENDLESS BELTS MOUNTED ON THE SHAFT INSPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER AND ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN BYTHE MACHINE TO FEED PAPER THERETO.